Apparatus for drying filaments



4 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1944 9 a. K 4/; err-1 INVENTORS '%rmer M, Freya Aer? BY h/ A4 Ha w kin;

A TTORNE Y Sept. 27, 1949. n. K. ALPERN ETAL APPARATUS FOR DRYING FILAMENTS 4Sheeqs-Sheet 2 Filed. March 7, 1944 BY W A TTORNE Y Sept. 27, 1949. n. K. ALPERN ETAL 294835373 APPARATUS FO R DRYING FILAMENTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 7, 1944 5 1% m M m 5 mm n 7. in 6/ 5 w- ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR DRYING FILAMEN TS corporation of New York Application March 7, 1944, Serial No. 525,336

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus and process to be used in the coating of thread, cord, wire, or similar material. More particularly, our invention relates to an apparatus and process of the general character disclosed in the Girard Patent No. 1,776,073.

The invention of this application relates more particularly to an apparatus and process for drying the coated thread, wire or cord that is coated by passage through a, coating container such as set forth in the Girard patent. In describing our process and apparatus, we shall refer to it as utilized for the fabrication of coated thread, it being understood that the invention is applicable to cord or wire, and that it is described as to thread merely to shorten the specification. Similarly, in claiming our invention we shall claim it as relating to thread, it being here again understood that the term thread is used in its broad generic sense and is intended to include cord, wire and like substances capable of being coated by our process and apparatus.

We should also like to indicate that in describing our process and apparatus, we shall of course outline certain theories relating to the process and apparatus that we now believe to be true from those studies that we have made. However, we do not wish the patent claims to be granted us to be limited by the theories we shall set forth since those theories may prove not to be entirely correct or complete. It will be well also to consider that the apparatus we shall outline hereinafter is merely exemplary of one form of means whereby our process may be successfully carried on, and that other arrangements of the apparatus may be successfully used following our teachings to the prior art.

Those skilled in the art of course appreciate that in the drying of coated thread manufactured under the process described in the said Girard patent, it is necessary to remove the solvent from the coating material after it is applied to the thread. Heretofore, the withdrawal of the solvent has never been carried on efliciently, due to the fact that the solvent was not removed sharply from the coated thread. Thus, the air used for the removal of the solvent was allowed to move parallel to the thread as the thread moved through the drying chamber, thereby exposing the moving thread to air substantially laden with the solvent. Similarly, the air has been allowed to linger about the moving thread, or to circulate about the thread, and thereby to aifect seriously the efficiency of the drying process. It is a feature of our process and apparatus that the solvent is removed from the coated thread by a sharp withdrawal or shearing action, as by an air stream moving substantially transversely to the direction of movement of the thread. It is a further feature of our invention that the drying air is moved away from the thread without having substantial movement imparted thereto parallel to the movement of the thread, so as to avoid subjecting the coated thread to air that has been freshly removed from contact with the solvent.

A further feature of our invention relates to a process and apparatus whereby the drying air is applied to the thread in small streams. More particularly, this feature of the invention utilizes adrying chamber having a series of small openings through which the air is entered into the drying chamber transversely to the direction of movement of the thread in said chamber. As a further feature of the invention, the air is with: drawn in a similar manner from the drying chamber, and without substantial movement being imparted thereto parallel to the movement of the thread in the chamber.

A still further feature of the invention relates to the arrangement of air guiding means relatively to a heater and drying chamber, so that definite percentages of fresh air from various sources are brought into the drying chamber, while a certain amount of air moving from the drying chamber is expelled.

A still further feature of our invention relates to the arrangement of air moving means so that pressure conditions within the drying chamber may be varied. More particularly, this feature of our invention involves the utilization of a fan for moving the air into the drying chamber, and a second fan for moving the air out of the drying chamber, it being appreciated that by varying the relationship between the fans, the ratio of the air brought into the chamber relatively to the air brought out of the chamber may be varied, thereby changing the drying conditions to which the coated thread is' subjected.

We have thus described generally the main features of our invention and our contribution to the art, in order that the breadth of our invention and its relation to the prior art may better be appreciated. The general description presented will also help in an appreciation of the particular steps of the process to be outlined hereinafter, and to the understanding of a preferred form of the apparatus that we shall hereinafter disclose for carrying on our process. Naturally, as we have already suggested, the nature of our invention is such that it should not be limited by the particular apparatus We shall describe, the particular sequence of the steps that we shall set forth, nor the theory of operation of the process, since variations of the process steps, the theory of operation, and the apparatus itself will readily occur to those to whom the disclosure of our invention is presented.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a schematic elevation of the apparatus of our invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the blower and heater apparatus as seen from the right of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. 1, and illustrates one of the drying chambers of our invention. Fig. 4 is a view taken substantially along lines A- i of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section taken along lines 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view showing the mounting of one of the pulleys of the thread guiding means as well as the movement of the threads through the coating chamber 51".,

and the coating nipples.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and especially Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that our apparatus comprises a heater designated generally by reference letter H, a bank of drying chambers, each of which is designated by reference numeral [0, a pair of blowers or fans designated by reference numerals H and l2, and a system of ducts.

Each of the drying chambers in is in the form of a relatively long vertically positioned tunnel formed of sheet metal and glass, the glass being used so that the moving thread within the drying chamber may best be observed, it being understood that the glass may be applied wherever it is desired to do so. At this point, it will be well to indicate that the particular material used in our apparatus, and the particular mode of fabrication of our apparatus, are not important,

the fabrication and material being selected merely because at present it seems that they are the most desirable.

The rear wall of each of the drying chambers I is designated by reference numeral l and is formed with a series of perforations [6 for the of the composite walls 20, designated by reference numeral 22, is perforated as shown at 23 (best seen in Fig. 4) for the escape of air from the drying .chambers Hi to .the exhaust compartments 2|.

Each of the exhaust compartments V2] is, through a suitable duct 24 and a further duct 25, placed in communication with the intake side of the fan [2. At this point, it will be well to indicate that the rear wall 25 0f each of the exhaust compartments 2! is angularly positioned as best seen in Fig. 3. The purpose of the angular wall 26 is to vary the size of each of the exhaust compartments 21 so as to present .an upwardly tapering exhaust compartment. We have found that this equalizes the pressure within the exhaust compartments, all as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It will also be interesting .to note that the exhaust ducts 24 connected with the exhaust compartments 2 l, are positioned below the chambers IT, and below the area of duct system including of course the ducts already described.

The heater H is of that type in which the air that is heated serves also to support combustion. The construction of the heater H is not important and for the purpose of understanding our invention and its operation, it is only necessary to know that air is brought into the heater and then moves into .the intake side of the fan I l for transmission to the drying chambers II I n-order to bring the air to the points indicated by arrows 30 and 3!, use is made of a fresh air intake 34, best shown in Fig. 2 as above the roofline of the room 36 in which the apparatus is located. Airenters at 34 under the control of the dampers 31, and then moves in the direction of the arrow 38 (Fig. 1) toward the points desi nated by arrows 383l. Additional air is fed past a series of dampers 39 at opening All Within the room 35. The air from this source flows in the direction of arrows 4| to the location of arrows 3ll-.3l and thence .into the heater ,H with the other air in the direction of the arrows 42, all as is now quite apparent. It may therefore be said that at least part of the air entering the heater H and then moving in the direction of the arrows 3! 3!, 42 and 33 into the fan H is air taken partially from the atmosphere above the roof line 35 and partially air taken from-the atmosphere Within the room 38.

The fan l2 receives its air from the drying chambers Hi through the series of ducts .24 and the large duct .25, this air moving in the direction of the arrow 45 as best seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The air entering the fan 12 from the duct 25 is then moved outwardly through the duct 4?. Part of the air so moved will flow through the duct 47 and will empty into the atmosphere as indicated by arrow :QB in Fig. 2. Part of the air Will however be deflected by damper 49 so as to flow in the direction of the composite arrow 50 best shown in Fig. 1, and seen also in Fig. 2. This air will movethrough the duct El and in the direction of the arrow 52 into the heater H. It will thereafter follow in the direction of the arrows 32 and .33 to the fan H. Naturally, the fan M will supply air through the main duct I9 and the smaller ducts I8 to the series .of drying chambers I0. Those now skilled in the art will fully appreciate that part of the air taken from the drying chambers by the fan [2 is expelled outside the room 36 within which the apparatus is located, while the remainder of the air is reheated and given to fan H for movement to the drying chambers. It will be further appreciated that the air moving into the drying chambers H! from the fan H is therefore made up of three components; fresh air from the outside atmosphere, room air, and used air.

Through the several dampers 31, 39 and 49, the relationship of the air components may be varied to suit conditions. The particular arrangement described is very important because we have found it desirable to continuously remove from the circulating air some of the air that has been in contact with the solvent in order to maintain the .efiiciency of the drying operation. For replacing this air, it is necessary=to use room air or air from the outside atmosphere depending upon temperature andhumidity conditions. We believe that this portion of our invention and its value will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. v

In order to further control'the amount of air supplied to the drying chambers I 0, and the pressure conditions within the chambers it, we preferably utilize separate motors HM and HM for driving respectively fans II and l2.. The drive, as is well seen in Fig. 2, is'throughthe medium of belts 55 and 55 in a manner well known in the art. The speed of the fans is controlled by varying the resistances 5! in the circuits of the mo.- tors in a manner well known in the art. It can readily be seen that by varying the speed of operation of the fans the pressure conditions within the drying chambers lll may easily be controlled. Thus, a low pressure condition will exist; for example, where the fan l2 operates to Withdrawthe air faster from the chambers .IG than the air is fed to those chambers by thefan H. Variations of pressure are frequently important in this art, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. 7

We shall now describe one drying chamber and its mode of operation, it being understood that the drying chambers and the apparatus used in association therewith are all the same. The drying chamber In in Fig. 3 has at its lower end a pulley 60 that is driven by a chain 5|. This chain 6| is driven by a sprocket 62a on a power shaft 62, and passes over a further sprocket 63 and thence over a sprocket B l. Sprocket 63 is in driving relation to a winder spool 55 through a slip clutch 63a, and drives also a reversible thread guide 65. Sprocket M is fixed to a pull roll 85 that is in pulling contact withthe thread.

At the upper end of the drying chamber It a bracket 67 supports a coating container 68. This coating container is adapted to be heated by an electrically energized heating element 59, the lead wires thereto being designated by reference numeral 10. Moreover because it is at the upper part of the apparatus it is heated further by the convection of the hot air used in the drying chamber. The coating compound within the container 68 is designated by reference numeral H and is fed into the container from a reservoir jar 12. This reservoir jar 12, :as best shown in Fig. 6, is adapted to be invented and then applied to the mouth 73 of a holder bracket 14 through which the coating material is fed into the containerii'o.

Immediately above thte container 68 there are positioned a series of idler pulleys mounted on a shaft 16. A series of guide rollers 11 are carried by brackets 18 secured to the top of the container 68. The thread to be coat-ed is designated by reference numeral T and is brought to the apparatus on a supply spool 80 as best shown in Fig. 3. From the supply spool 80 it is fed into a dyeing vat BI, and then through the eye 82 and guide sleeves -83 upwardly into the drying chamber II). It is then laid in the groove of the extreme right pulley of the series of pulleys 15 mounted on shaft 16. The thread then passes downwardly between a pair of guide rollers TI and into the container 68. It passes through the coating compound II within the container and then through a wiping nozzle N of the class described in the Girard patent supra. From the nozzle N it moves downwardly and about the pulley 60. The pulley 50, it will be remembered,

is driven by the chain BI and acts to draw the several runs of thread T in the path indicated.

From the pulley 60, the thread moves upwardly to the second of the idler pulleys I5 and then downwardly through the coating compound and the second of the nozzles N to the pulley 60. It repeats this motion until finally it leaves the last idler pulley l5 and passes over guide pulley 85. From guide pulley 85 it moves about draw pulley 86, the pulley 81, and through the thread guide 66 for winding about the winder spool 65. The thread wound about the spool 65 is of course the finished coated thread.

We shall now describe just what happens within the drying chamber ID as the thread moves up and down in said chamber in the path just outlined. The air moves from the chamber I! int-o the chamber 10 through the series of perforations It. The individual air streams thus formed by the perforations l6 move past the runs of thread T substantially transversely to the direction of movement of the thread in the drying chamber Ill. In effect, there will be a series of parallel air streams contacting each linearly moving thread run at points linear-1y spaced relatively to the thread. Each of these air streams will tend to remove or shear the solvent rather sharply from the thread coating because of the movement of the air transversely to the moving thread. The effectiveness of this operation is most marked, and is far superior to any form of drying action we have witnessed in apparatus of the particular class.

The air is preferablywithdrawn from the drying chamber ID in a series of air streams because of the movement of the air from the drying chamber Iii irrto the juxtaposed exhaust chambers 2| through the perforations 23. The efiect of this withdrawal of air is to continue the movement of the air streams transversely relatively to the moving thread T and to prevent any substantial movement of the air in a direction parallel to the moving thread, or the air remaining about the thread. Because of this relationship of the parts, the air that contacts the thread is prevented from further contact with that moving thread. It is apparent, of course, that from the several exhaust compartments 2| the air is then moved by the ducts 24 into the large duct 25 and thence to fan l'2.

It is well to point out that the apparatus illustrated by us is designed for maximum effectiveness and that the process we have developed and have herein described is probably most efiectively carried out by the apparatus shown. However, effective operation of the apparatus and process is possible where the general concept of our invention is utilized without its being carried forth to the degree indicated in this application. Thus, for example, it is possible to utilize larger air streams than those that will be formed by the perforations l5 and 23. Other variations along similar lines may be made following the teachings of our contribution to the art, and it is important therefore that the claims granted us be not construed so narrowly as to make it possible for others to avail themselves of our contribution to the art.

We now claim:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a substantially closed drying chamber, means for moving a thread through said drying chamber, an air intake compartment separated from said drying chamber by a perforated wall, means for moving air from said intake compartment through said area-"ace zperforated wall into said dryin'g chamber and against said thread :in a pluralitycf streams movingsubstantially transversely to the movement of said thread through said drying chamber, an exhaust compartment juxtaposed to said drying chamber and having a perforated 'wall between it and :said drying chamber angularly positioned relatively to said first perforated wall and coextensive therewith, and means for Withdrawing said air from said drying chamber into said exhaust compartment through said perforated Wall in a plurality of small streams, with the air streams moving through saiddryingchamber into said exhaust compartment without substantial movement parallel to the movement of said thread in said drying chamber,

2. in an apparatus of the class described, a series of substantially closed vertical drying chambers, exhaust compartments positioned 'betweensaid drying chamhers and forming with said drying chambers abank of drying chambersan'd exhaust compartments, means for moving threads vertically in each of said drying chambers, an intake compartment, a wall between each-0f said chambers :and said intake compartment having 2.;

'aseries of intake openings therein vertically and horizontally spaced for the admission or air streams into said chambers against said threads substantially transversely to the movement of said threads in said chambers, at least one side wall of each of said chambers separating it from an exhaust compartment having a series of exhaust openings therein vertically and horizon -tally spaced for the Withdrawal of air streams from said chambers into said exhaust compartments substantially transversely to the movement of said threads in said chambers, and means in said exhaust compartments for equalizing the suction on said exhaust openings.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of substantially closed vertical drying chambers, exhaust compartments positioned between said drying chambers and forming with saidclrying chambers a bank of drying chambers 'and exhaust compartments, means for moving threads 'ver tica llyin each of sa'iddrying chambers, :an intake compartment, a wall between each of said chambers and said intake compartment having a series :of intake openings therein vertically and horizontally spaced for the admission of air streams 'i-n'tc'said chambers against said threads substantially transversely to the movement of said-threads in saidchambers, and at least one side wall of each of said chambers separating itfroman exhaust compartment having =a 'series of exhaust openings therein vertically and horizontally spaced for the withdrawal of air streams from said chani'bersinto said exhaust "compartments substantially transversely to the -movemen t of said threads'in said chambers.

DWIGH'I K. ALPERN. HERMAN M. FREYDBERG. WILLIAM H. HAWKINS.

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